National Clean air month

For clean air, Volusia, Flagler counties are the place to be

A man maneuvers his kite against the ocean breeze south of the Daytona Beach Pier. Sea breezes aren't only good for kites on the beach, but they help sweep away air pollution from Volusia and Flagler counties.

Published: Monday, June 9, 2014 at 5:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, June 9, 2014 at 11:16 p.m.

Residents can breathe easier knowing that Volusia County is one of the cleanest places in the country for air pollution.

An annual study by the American Lung Association gave Volusia County an “A” for ozone pollution and “B” for particle pollution. Ground-level ozone pollution, which is comprised of smog, can aggravate respiratory diseases and cause other health problems. Particle pollution is made up of tiny air and liquid particles in the air we breathe.

The American Lung Association analyzed data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to determine which cities had the best and worst air quality. Los Angeles ranked highest for ozone pollution while Anchorage, Alaska, was the best city for clean air.

Air quality declined in the U.S. between 2010 and 2012 but remains much cleaner that it was a decade ago before the U.S. Clean Air Act, the report states. The report calls for further efforts to improve air quality, citing that 47 percent of the population lives in areas where air pollution is considered dangerous.

The most recent data from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection shows that Volusia County had 346 days of high air quality and 20 days of moderate air quality in 2012. Flagler County had 355 days of good air quality and 11 days of moderate air quality but was not included in the study.

Robert Maglievaz, environmental health specialist at the Volusia County Health Department, attributed lack of heavy industry, congested highways and wildfires in Volusia and Flagler County to the area's good air quality. He also attributed the county's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

“We are fortunate to have two big oceans on both sides of us that absorb pollution and keep it away from us,” Maglievaz said. “If you want good air, this is one of the best places to live.”

That's good news for the 33,152 adults and 8,034 children living with asthma in Volusia County. Seniors citizens also are at increased risk of respiratory issues, especially when air quality is poor. In Volusia County 32,401 adults suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

The report focuses on counties that have air monitoring sites. Lack of monitoring sites and proposed cuts in federal funding threatens air quality reporting across the nation, said Janice Nolen, assistant vice president of national policy for the American Lung Association. Out of 3,069 counties in the U.S. only 800 to 900 have air monitoring sites. In order to improve air quality, the report calls for the EPA to expand monitoring networks in areas near highways and roadways, reduce emissions from vehicles and limit residential wood burning.

Florida currently has 214 monitoring sites, which cover about 92 percent of the population. It's one of the highest number of sites per population in the nation, said Paula Cobb, director of air resource management for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Volusia County has two testing sites and Flagler County has one testing site.

Air pollution caused by toxic emissions was not included in the report but is equally important to monitor, Nolen said. Certain industry groups and federal facilities are required to report toxic chemical emissions to the EPA. The most recent data for Volusia County shows that manufacturers reported a 22 percent increase in toxic chemical emissions in 2010. Florida's chemical emissions were down 5 percent overall that year and Florida ranked 13th out of 50 states for emissions.

The report also ranks metropolitan areas for air quality, placing the Orlando/Daytona Beach metro area 93 for high ozone days out of 277 metro areas and 96 out of 277 for particle pollution.

“It's not terrible,” Nolen said about Central Florida's ranking. “There are many places that are worse, but the overall trend that we are having problems means that we want to reduce days that can make people sick.”

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